Letter to my People
From Javier Suarez, owner
I see you.
Overlooked, overworked, overwhelmed.
I see you betting on yourself when nobody else will.
I see you working twice as hard for half the recognition.
I see you Googling "how to" at 2 AM because you can't hire it out just yet.
I see you questioning.
If you're cut out for this.
If you belong in these spaces.
If you're doing enough.
I see you because I've been you.
I am you.
This letter is everything I wish someone had told me when I was drowning in the deep end, wondering if I'd ever figure it out.
I still haven't, by the way, but I've learned a lot of things that make the ride more doable and a LOT less lonely.
Remember when I went to Columbia College in Chicago for illustration?
Romanticizing the whole ‘struggling comic book artist who'd eventually make it big’ fantasy?
Yeah… that was until I met so many artists from places like Cartoon Network and Adult Swim while I was exhibiting at comic book conventions and found out that most of them were “doing art” full time while also working another job full time to keep afloat.
I was alarmed because being broke long-term? Not my vibe.
So I did what I had to do.
I slow-cooked myself into a designer over the last 6-7 years.
When COVID hit, I had no choice but to go all-in on my own business. The timing made sense, so I took advantage of all the free online courses and taught myself everything I could about running a business.
That journey from leap of faith to full-time brand designer taught me something crucial:
I don’t want this.
I need this.
And you need it too.
And that's exactly why I'm writing to you.
Because the industry doesn't typically look like us.
But it could… If we prioritize community over competition.
Working with a skilled designer is one thing, but having a relatable experience within our identity? That's something else entirely.
That's the real.
You can't teach that. And you sure as hell can't buy that.
I want to make branding and business accessible to my community.
The more clients I work with, the more I realize how many people like me there are. People betting on themselves and hoping it all works out. It may be campy, but I'm really trying to bring what I've learned to my people.
From failing, adapting, and slowly figuring out what actually works when you don't have a trust fund or endless connections.
Javier Suarez
Owner of Hi—Format Creative Studio
In case you missed it. I’m Javier. 🤙
I’m a brand designer who helps overworked entrepreneurs like you build a brand to match your hustle. This means: looking as legit as you already are, having your visuals actually make sense with your biz and having a simple roadmap for growth.